Known as the idol in the world of Korean painting, the artist Kim Hyun Jung
surely has captured people’s attention by introducing new genre in K-art. The 10th
solo exhibition that was held in Korea was remarkable and exceptional in terms
of popularity, with the number of visitors reaching almost 70 thousands in
total. The secret behind this is not only related to her techniques and style,
but to her personal yet common stories in and outside the artworks that the
young generation can relate to.

My ideal working outfit looks like…

I enjoy wearing pretty clothes. As I spend more than half of
the time in my studio every day, I feel like it is a waste to keep beautiful
clothes in the closet all the time worrying that the ink will splash. When I
happen to go out with ink-stained clothes, I just be overly chatty and say “I
have been drawing you know” to my friends.

Heels or flats… Which brand or style…

I often wear high heels because I have a complex about being
short and want to be taller even a little bit. I prefer pumps which are comfortable
with sturdy front and back heels.

The reason why you wear and draw Korean traditional clothes
Han Bok is…Han Bok is Korean traditional clothes that are worn in the
formal situation. People do not wear it in our everyday life anymore. So
through the contrast of wearing classical clothes and behaving ordinarily and
naturally, I can effectively deliver the sense of subject ‘coyness’. The contrast between ‘formality’ and ‘daily life’
become a medium to be compared with ‘coyness’ which is the contract of human’s inside and
outside.Han Bok has high concealing quality as it has many layers and
the dress is long and wide, but by drawing a subject who acts transparently
even with Han Bok on, I aim to dramatically induce audiences’
mentality by letting them to see through the subject’s
coyness. The more you hide, the funnier it is to guess out what one is thinking
at the bottom. Although this functional reason is big, the fact that I
personally admire Han Bok’s lines, colors, patterns,
and accessories also be-came a significant reason why I chose to wear and draw
Han Bok.

My favorite art-related blog/app is…

Pinterest. Google provides enormous images that even a term ‘googling’ was created, but as there are too much information available, it
often together provides unnecessary images. In contrast ‘pinterest’ shows most appropriate and
accurate images based on the key words, so it was more satisfactory. Also since
there are more materials from abroad than from Korea, I feel like I am
travelling when I am looking at those images, which makes me happier.

What motivates you to actively engage in Social Media?

By managing Facebook and blog by myself, I could better
communicate with audience which before it was only possible through
exhibitions. More recently I am trying to make the communication both sided by
using messenger and SNS. I could actually meet more people through internet and
get unexpected ideas from the conversation. It now became part of my work.

The last thing I bought and loved was…

It would be a life Han Bok that I purchased from Ccomaque.
Full flowing skirt and simpler life Han Bok is made to comfortably wear during
daily life, so I wear a lot in my ordinary days. I especially wear more often
during summer, as the traditional ones look much better with many layers and
thus not suitable for summer. So I often wear modernized Han Bok which is made
of light materials and is transformed to a modern design to allow it to be both
comfortable and beautiful.

Most ridiculous thing I ever bought…I instead have ridiculous experience after purchasing. It was a traditional Korean paper made with traditional process by a master artisan, which was very expensive. The paper was ripped off once I opened the paper to draw, so I had to throw away even before using it properly.My necessary extravagance is…I put a lot of attention to Han Bok accessories to wear beautifully with Han Bok. Among those my necessary extravagance would be flower shoes from artisan. Not long ago the artisan passed away, so the flower shoes I have now was the last work by him. Now the shoes became a priceless treasure.Three things/products I always need to have in my purse…Sketchbook, Ipad, and mirror.Sketchbook is a necessity to all artists. When I have sudden ideas or have a quote that I want to remember, I record it in my book.Secondly, it is Ipad. I come across circumstances where I need to introduce my work and portfolio to other people. It is an efficient item that allows me to store information that cannot even be covered in a thick book and carry around easily. Also I can move the ideas that I jotted down in my sketchbook easily to change it to digital work.Lastly, mirror. As my work is to express human figure, I have a habit of observing figure’s facial expression and muscles based on the movement. I think it is a habit caused from my desire to draw figures better. When I am with other people I can observe them, but when I am alone I observe myself by making different faces.

My ultimate beauty secret after long working hours…My beauty secret is facial mask. Staying all day in studio
makes my face dry quickly. I tried a lot of cosmetic products and folk
remedies, but there was nothing good as a facial mask. My loving facial mask
and ‘PandaKorea’ once collaborated and produced
mask package <Coyness: same bed, different dreams>.My favourite merge of the art- and fashion world…The work from Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton. Usually the
most difficult part of a collaboration is to bring out beauty while balancing
with each other. But for this collaboration the artist’s
color was clearly expressed while keeping the company’s
identity. Also it was not just a simple merge, but a merge that also positively
influenced the sales of the company.My most admired art world influencer…I would like to pick director Bartomeu Mari Ribas from
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA). He is a reputable
director who worked as a curator of Spain Pavilion in Venice Biennale and
worked under Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona from 2008 to
2015 as Director.In the art world currently I find most exciting that…I was most excited in my solo exhibition ‘Coyness
Theme Park’ which happened this year in March and
April. The exhibition recorded daily visit of 5,026 and total visit of 67,402.
As it was a big exhibition which use four floors of whole building, the
preparation time was long and my worries and concerns were big. But due to
people’s love and attention I could make such a big
achievement during the one month. Even by recalling the memories makes my heart
beat faster.

Art makes me…Complete. Makes me Breathe.What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?I am often inspired from daily life. ‘Coyness’ also can be called as 21st century genre painting which is based on
my daily life. Among all SNS is a great method to look through the daily life
of young generation. I sometimes get work materials from interesting stories
that are on Instagram or Facebook.The most arty city is…I feel like Seoul which the past and the present exist
together is the most artistic city in the world. Especially Bukchon Hanok
Village and Gyeong Bok Gung Palace that are located between tall buildings
touch my heart.The perfect art-world gentlemen is…My idol Do Ho Suh. The Artist Suh expresses difficult topics
such as ‘Home within Home’ and ‘Karma’ in familiar and witty way while
showing excellent techniques. Also I admire him as he became internationally
influential by recreating Korean traditional forms. He sometimes use fabric of
Han Bok to express Korean style house, which I think it will be interesting if
a subject that I drew is doing something inside the house with Han Bok on.Artist(s) we should have on our watchlist is/are…Kim Hyun Jung? I am always working hard so please keep
an eye on me!

Copyright ⓒ By 한국화가 김현정 All picturesCannot be copied without permission.

Everyone Has Faux-NaifThink about oriental painting. What comes to
mind? Scenes of mountains? A bird sitting on a branch? Perhaps even an
orchid? One young oriental drawing artist who drew a woman wearing Hanbok
sitting on a chair focused on her I-Pad quite differs from normal images
of oriental paintings, right? Kim Hyun Jung (KIM) is this artist of a
different colour. She has drawn lots of paintings and calls them the Series of
Faux-Naif (in Korean (Nae-sung). The Sookmyung Times (SMT) met up with her to
uncover secrets behind her Series of Faux-Naif.SMT Your
paintings differ greatly from other oriental paintings. I wonder what
sparked your unique oriental painting style, in particular the Series
of Faux-Naif.KIM Personally,
I don’t
feel the Series of Faux-Naif to be unlike more traditional oriental
paintings. I was trying to express myself in the paintings. As a student Iwas
concerned a lot about how others saw me. I lived life, not according to
my wants, but trying to look for others. The eyes of others became
the standard ofmy life, and I suffered
for it. Because I pursued life according to others’ view of me lost
the inner me. I often wondered who I was. It was during those days thatI began the Series of Faux-Naif. At first,
I started to make caricatures of Faux-Naif people. However, as I
drew, I realized I resembled those people in my works, soI started to draw caricatures of myself. The
Series of Faux-Naif is not only a reflection of outward self, but also
my desire to escape from the eyes of others and social
convention. SMT When
I first heard about the Series of Faux-Naif, I pondered the meaning
of Faux-Naif. Can the word Faux-Naif in your painting be thesame term with the word used indaily life?KIM In
my work, Faux-Naif is a concept wider than more commonly
used connotation. For me, it entails every action that is different
from what I havein mind. A Faux-Naif
person is on that pretends to be shy. The word Faux-Naif is a term
applied mostly to women, but I think it can have a wider usage. It is justa discrepancy between the desire to
be accepted from others and to hide what I cannot do well. Actually,
instinct is what compels us to behave a certain way.SMT You
have drawn lots of paintings and held numerous exhibitions including
a showcase at the Asian Students and Young Artists Art Festival
(ASYAAF). Do you have a drawing that is most precious to you?KIM My
first piece in the Series of Faux-Naif Narcissus is very dear to
me. It was my very first Faux-Naif painting. I drew it to express the
moment a womanimmerses herself in eye makeup in front of
a small hand mirror. I won the Gold Prize in Oriental Painting at
the 12th Korea Women’s Grand Art Exhibitionwith the piece. So Narcissus means a lot to
me. Also, Familiar but Unfamiliar is important and precious as well. As
I told you just before, at first my Faux-Naif style paintings were
caricatures of other people. However, Familiar but Unfamiliar is the
painting that started me down my path of creating selfportraitcaricature works. Two women in the painting hold
game consoles, but are not engaged in the game. I tried to express
the times when people feel familiar yet unfamiliar with others.
After this piece, I began seriously working on the Series of
Faux-Naif with a focus on myself.SMT From
whom or what do you get inspiration mostly?KIM Inspiration
for my drawings usually comes from my life. Because the Series of
Faux-Naif is self-portrait based, my ideas came from my daily life.
Also, communication with my audience or fan base through SNS is
important. I upload posts on my blog and Facebook.Through the Internet, I can meet a variety
of people, learn, and be inspired by unexpected ideas.SMT From
whom or what do you get inspiration mostly?KIM Inspiration for my drawings usually comes from my life. Because the
Series of Faux-Naif is self-portrait based, my ideas came from my
daily life. Also, communication with my audience
or fan base through SNS is important. I upload posts on my blog and
Facebook.Through the Internet, I can meet a variety
of people, learn, and be inspired by unexpected ideas.SMT Your
paintings have soared in popularity. The art world credits your years
of experience. However, you are much younger than other Oriental
drawing artists. I am curious as to the keys to your success.KIM It’s true my paintings
sold out in just two days, but there is no special key. I never drew
with the intent of making money. I drew because I drew.It’s who I am. Buyers of my work
often say my work is easy to understand and is unique. Also, lots of
people have seen my work on SNS, so I can’t deny
thatSNS has helped my popularity. I think an
artist must communicate with his/her audience through the paintings.The most important thing in my mind as I
paint is sympathy. If the voice of the artist is conveyed to the
audience, the audience will feel comfortable being in the gallery.
When people feel comfortable they sympathize with an art piece more
easily.SMT Besides
private exhibitions, what else would you like to do in the future?KIM I
hope to be known as an artist who communicates with her public. Also, I
am interested in showing the Series of Faux-Naif through installation art
and video.By visualizing and touching my Series of
Faux-Naif, people will accept Faux-Naif more intuitionally and directly.
So, I have started to learn sculpture, whichwas not my major. I keep considering new
topics. At the moment, though, I feel really happy holding
exhibitions, so I would like to maintain this life stylefor a bit longer. Having said that, I
am studying and putting on exhibitions continuously. My ultimate goal
is to establish authority in this field and makeart something everyone enjoys. Also, I hope
to become a traditional culture preacher who explains Korean traditional culture
thought art.

Copyright ⓒ By 한국화가 김현정
All picturesCannot be copied without permission.

When people think about Hanbok, a
traditional Korean outfit, they have certain expectations. Hyunjung Kim
deliberately defies those expectations by painting a picture that shows Hanbok
in an unstressed everyday-life manner. Responsible for an ironically even
lovelier look is probably the designer's own persona, a modern Korean woman who
enjoys shopping and can't live without her phone. Eloquence met the young,
witty artist for an insightful chat.Hanbok elements play a
significant role in your work. How did that come about?The most important
function of the hanbok is to highlight 'the impact of common expectations'. The
series Feign started with my personal thoughts about false assumptions and
people who act differently on the inside and the outside, and I'm slowly
developing that into a more personal confession and a general statement
undermining stereotypes. The works depict delicate garments that are usually
worn to festive occasions, in rather atypical, often humorous situations, as
well as in combination with modern items that take away the entitlement to
judge. These contrasts are, of course, present in other outfits, but I really
do pattern and accessories of the Korean hanbok. Those unique attributes are
more than enough to spark my expressiveness as an artist.Your paintings often
depict women’s two-sideness. Is there something being ‘feigned’ there? If you look up
the word ‘feign’ it will say something like, ‘acting shy on
the outside, but really being deceptive.’ But, as you
can see in your question, most people will naturally associate the word ‘feign’ with the picture of a woman, even
though it is, of course free of gender. While I do agree that it is an
expression that in our society suits a woman better than a man, I don’t think that it is an exclusively female characteristic. I think
that it is a rather common social urge of people to gain confirmation from one
another and hide personal weaknesses that result in ‘discordance;.
Sometimes it appears almost instinctively, but I also believe that people will
sacrifice part of their own selves, their own identities for social
convenience. While I planned Feign as an expression of dissatisfaction with
pretentious people and a desire for pictorial expression, it has now become a
psychological and philosophical topic for me.The pieces that show
nude body parts underneath the hanbok are particularly memorable. They could be
interpreted sexually. I often think
that women have to hide their inherent desires and true nature more than men.
As mentioned before, I think that pretention is more connected to women and
frankly, I think that it is reality. There’s a part of me that chose to draw women
because I’ve experienced such things first-hand.
However, the nudity is there to express that people wear clothes only to adorn
themselves, to show that they have a clean core. It’s a
very important element. The viewer can see through the half transparent textile
the essence of the person, and the silhouettes to indicate the character’s possibility to reach that core. Seen from the ‘female’s essential core’ in my paintings, could one really think I was sending a sexual
message?The Feign series is
fairly well known, but what other works have you previously done? The Feign series
can be seen entirely as a study of my own personality. Before that I was
preparing for that process of searching. I,E, my own version of The Thinker.
When I was in that self-defining of elements of Korean beauty make me nod along
to his insightful explanations. I would like to take our art, our hanboks and
hanji (Korean traditional paper) and present their subtle beauty proudly all
over the world. And Takashi Murakmi is an artist whose works have taught me
that art can coexist with capitalistic industrialization and still be a part of
our everyday lives. One of my dream is to see art being as much a part of
everybody’s
life as music, to see it being a base for joy that anybody can easily pick up.
He showed me that art can become a way to nestle on industrialized territory.It seems as if one can
see your own lifestyle depicted in your works. What kind of person are you? That’s something I would
completely leave up to the spectator. I actually like shopping and very lively
things, but on the other hand I enjoy being by myself and like any other artist
I am a rather emotional person This might be the right time to unburden myself – as a girl who likes lively things – from something I’d like to say about
the expression ‘drawing (spoiled) girl.’ I think that it is denigrating and suppressing women’s hopes of a bright and vivid life. Everybody has those desires, not
just women. I would like to see more confidence and acceptance of people’s tastes and preferences. That’s one of the
things I realized about myself during my working process.What kind of artist
would like to be come? I would like to
be an artist who scratches people where it itches. I usually answer this
question with, ‘artists are people who express other people’
desires’. Artists are more sensitive and emotionally
charged than other people. They are able to express what others might not be
able to understand in the first place or issues they can identify with but don’t know how to let out. Artists are professional. I try to be a
sensitive, worldly person, interactive and keen on life.

Copyright ⓒ By 한국화가 김현정
All picturesCannot be copied without permission.